


For a Good Cause

by WyrmLivvy



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Adopted Character(s), Domestic Fluff, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Gen, Indian Harry Potter, Kid Fic, M/M, Misunderstandings, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-24
Updated: 2017-10-24
Packaged: 2019-01-22 06:34:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12475592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WyrmLivvy/pseuds/WyrmLivvy
Summary: "I need you to lie and pretend to be my daughter’s biological father,” Tom said.





	For a Good Cause

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Angel_of_Mysteries](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angel_of_Mysteries/gifts).



> A late fic for Angel_of_Mysteries’ birthday, Rae said she had a weakness for domestic fic. I tried to think of one and somehow the domestic fic ended up including a lot more tropes. (note the tags)
> 
> Content warnings: some themes about being an immigrant of color, racism and adoption that might be heavy 
> 
> Somehow these are the things I chose to wrestle with when I write fic instead of something safer and distant like vampires or angels. *congratulations, you played yourself gif* 
> 
> As such it'll take longer than I thought to post the complete thing but here's one chapter for now.
> 
> btw, this story has no mpreg

Harry Potter hadn’t expected being approached by Tom Riddle. They had attended Hogwarts at the same time, but there was a distance between them because Harry chose Gryffindor while Tom had been sorted in Slytherin, and it had only grown in their time at the school. It’s a surprise then, when Tom contacted him the shortly before Harry was about to begin his graduate school courses after he had completed his bachelor’s. 

Harry met Tom over tea at his house, a restored manor he had legally wrestled back from the government after providing proof of his claim. It had once belonged to the Gaunt family, to which Tom’s mother was a member, which meant he was one too. Tom did not always know this however, because he had grown up in a muggle orphanage, ignorant of his parentage until later in his Hogwarts schooling. Tom didn’t know much about magic in the beginning either, except the powers he practiced himself, and not the cultural knowledge pureblood or halfblood wizards and witches who grew up among their kind knew of, such as the names of common potions ingredients or magical creatures. Because of this Harry had initially mistaken Tom for a muggleborn, and Harry was sensitive about such things because of his muggleborn mother, consequently he had been especially nice to Tom. Tom had accepted Harry’s kindness and was even enamored of it, but that had turned sour once he received the message from other Slytherins to be thought of one was a terrible thing, and to actually be one was worse so Tom ceased affiliation with Harry and Harry had done the same. 

Harry was curious and cautious both because Tom wasn’t the kind of person that asked for help or liked owing others, but he had said he needed Harry’s help and hoped it would be given, for the sake of their former, brief friendship. Tom had short, wavy dark hair, pale skin, and ink black irises - he was as handsome as Harry remembered, perhaps more so with maturity. 

Tom doesn’t dance around the request. He doesn’t build up to it and he isn’t vague either, which meant the full force of it knocked Harry off guard. 

“ _Harinarayan_ , I need you to lie and pretend,” Tom said. 

Harry winced at hearing what was his legal name, which he heard in few and usually familial contexts. His parents said it when he was in trouble or to signal that they were being serious( _“Harinarayan, stop playing Quidditch out in the moors!”_ ) or if he had to do something ( _“Harinarayan, go clean your room_.”) His father’s legal name, James, was shared with English kings and Harry’s grandfather had given him the name to match his son with the country he had immigrated to, rather than something Indian. To compensate for that, James had given his own son the name he did. But the moment Harry was conscious that he could, for school, with friends and basically anywhere outside his family, he had started going by Harry instead because most people could not pronounce his given name correctly and he wanted to fit in with the people who did have names like his father’s. 

Harry knew Tom was doing it on purpose. Saying his full name and pronouncing it correctly (Tom’s diction was perfect), produced results since Harry responded out of habit and past experiences. He was likelier to do what Tom wanted. 

“Pretend to be my daughter’s biological father,” Tom said. 

“What?” Harry said. Since when did Tom have a _daughter_? “Er, for some men it’s possible because their genders changed and there’s also several magical ways two guys can have a child like that but I didn’t with you - why do you even - ” Harry stuttered, not sure why Tom wanted him to pretend at having made a child with him. Harry could feel his ears heat. 

“I adopted her,” Tom interrupted, “from Wool’s Orphanage, a year ago. I cannot pretend to be her biological parent with you, it’ll make her stand out in a bad way. You will be the sole biological parent. As to what happened to her mother you’ll have to make up something if asked. We’ll coordinate it. Both of Rani’s biological parents have already passed away. Like how I am with my own, she cannot remember their faces.”

Harry wanted to ask where was she, but he received an answer before having asked it. 

A small girl seven or eight years in age with chestnut brown eyes and long dark hair worn in a simple ponytail, tied with a green ribbon, walked into the living room, carrying a plate on which half the cookies were floating and half were on the dish proper. Rani had on a look of concentration but was walking at the same time. 

Fretfully, Harry stood up and walked to her, afraid that she might trip and wanting to save her if it did happen. Perhaps he could take the full plate away from her and set it on the tea table? 

“Get out of the way,” Rani said. Her eyes were still on some of the cookies and they wobbled but did not drop. 

Harry reluctantly stepped aside, allowing her to move past him and set the cookies down on the table. 

The floating cookies settled down on the plate gently, none of them cracking in the process. 

Tom, who was still seated, clapped his hands and smiled. 

Rani smiled back and seated herself on the small chair next to Tom’s. Harry returned to his seat across from both of them. 

“Please try the cookies I made,” Rani said facing Harry.

“Okay,” Harry said, a bit surprised by the politeness of the girl whose first words to him were a command to move out of her way. He took one and bit into it, pleasantly surprised by the soft texture and buttery taste. It paired well with the tea Tom had brewed. “It’s very good, but probably shouldn’t be levitated,” Harry said after he finished one. “It’s impressive, but teaching a child magic too early might be - ”

“I was levitating cookies to steal well before this age, and I didn’t teach her. She learned the trick herself, probably for the same reasons I did,” Tom said, looking at Harry. 

“Ah,” Harry said, breaking eye contact. Right, Tom and Rani came from the same orphanage, that and her magic probably factored into why Tom had adopted her. But if Tom had adopted her, he was her father, so why did he want Harry to pretend to be her birth father? 

It turned out he had asked the last part aloud because he was being answered. 

“They bullied me, in my last school,” Rani said, “Because I’m adopted.” She stated it as a fact and worryingly, Harry found her voice suppressed of emotion though it had to hurt. 

Tom explained further. They had moved because in Rani’s last school, she had been bullied by other children for being adopted. To avoid a repeat of events, and for Rani to fit in, the fact of Rani’s adoption would have to be hidden from her new school through having someone act as her biological parent. Harry was eligible by the simple fact of his ethnicity, and because he counted among someone Tom would trust for such a purpose. 

It was a strange solution to a problem that could be solved through less deceptive means, and involved at its core, constant lying, but Rani was looking at Harry expectantly and so was Tom. At the corner of Rani’s eyes there was something suspiciously like tears. 

“I’ll do it,” Harry said, “since it’s for a good cause.” He would pretend to be Rani’s biological father. 

—

For Rani’s first week, Harry consistently dropped her off and picked her up from the school, while she referred to him as her father. Tom followed Harry on those trips, dressed as a butler, which was his cover for hanging around the “Riddle family,” now that Harry was pretending to be Mr. Riddle. Harry would think it ridiculous, but that would be hypocritical, and Rani’s family having a butler seemed to elevate her status in the eyes of her peers. Harry did feel relieved Rani wasn’t being bullied in her new environment, even if it was built on lies. He thought both Rani and Tom were better at acting than he was. 

As a part of his role, Harry was living at Tom’s place, which was more convenient for everyone involved but Harry hadn't been expecting it. It turned out the dorm he was supposed to stay at was discovered to have structural problems, and its residents would have to be temporarily relocated. Tom offered and Harry had accepted, being allowed an entire wing of the mansion. Tom had reasoned to him it would be easier for Harry to pretend to be Rani’s father if he lived with them, and out of necessity and logic, Harry had agreed. 

Tom was pretending to be the Riddle family’s butler but that didn’t mean he always cooked. He did most of the time but Harry cooked on the weekends, when he could take his time doing so. 

Harry had almost finished creating a English breakfast when Tom walked into the kitchen. 

“Smells great,” Tom had said, and Harry would have smiled and replied, “Thanks, I want to contribute after all those times you’ve made great meals,” but something sounded off about Tom’s voice. 

Harry’s suspicions prove correct when Tom moved to hover over Harry’s shoulder, glancing at the bacon and sausages Harry was in the middle of cooking. 

“Is that what you usually make?” Tom asked. 

“Yes,” Harry answered, “Would you like me to make something else?” 

“Something like the breakfast your family makes.” Tom said. 

Harry thought about it. His father, James Potter, combined cereal and milk, sometimes he made eggs or a porridge. He liked grains for breakfast. His mother, Lily Potter, made fried tomatoes, toast, and beans. She liked vegetables. Both had made sausages and bacon for him because he liked meat. Harry continued what he was doing. 

Tom continued to loom behind Harry silently, managing to convey without speech he wasn’t pleased about Harry supposed lack of reception to his instructions. But Harry was making the food his parents did. 

“This is what my family makes,” Harry said, and then he told Tom his thoughts - about the eggs his father made and his mother’s beans and toast. His mum was better at cooking bacon while his dad always overcooked it. However, he was better at evenly cooking sausages. 

“Not your parents then, can you make the breakfast your _grandparents_ made?” Tom pressed, impatience was bleeding into his tone. 

By now Harry was absolutely certain of what Tom was looking for, whereas in the beginning he had been merely suspicious. He also knew that it wasn’t malicious, rather Tom was looking out for Rani, Tom had told Harry before - he wanted her to have ties to her heritage. But Harry could not give what Tom was demanding. 

He could pretend to be Rani’s birth father but for other purposes he was far from the ideal candidate. He was an assimilated third generation British-Indian, who went by an Anglicized name - first and last, and he had trouble connecting her with her heritage because the ties he had himself were frayed.

“Um, the names of the foods are escaping me but my grandmother made lentil and rice pancakes? And served it with a sauce.” Harry said, “There was also this rice pudding - porridge thing? It’s a bit sweet, because sugar’s an ingredient, and it also had raisins and nuts like cashews or pistachios. Actually, I think my dad’s made that porridge for me before, a few times.”

“What did your grandparents call the porridge? The pancakes?” Tom asked, and to Harry’s relief the man had finally backed off, allowing Harry space to turn around and move freely. 

“I don’t know.” Harry answered. He moved the finished bacon and sausages onto the large plate with the eggs and toast. It’s slightly burnt, he couldn’t help it, having been distracted by Tom. He cleaned the oil off the pan with a simple spell and then used two more, one to cut off the especially burnt sections of the breakfast meats from the well-done parts and a second to banish the removed bits. 

“Hmm.” Tom said. 

Harry couldn’t read what that meant.

There’s three smaller plates next to the large plate containing the hot breakfast items and Harry grabbed one, scooping what he wanted from the bigger plate onto it and gesturing for Tom to help himself and do the same. 

Tom picked what he wanted.“Thank you,” He said, a formality more than anything. Tom bit into a forkful of mushroom and fried tomato and Harry smiled when he saw Tom grab more from the main plate. 

Harry his attention to the drink he had not made yet. He used the ingredients in the right order, the tea leaves and the spices. As he was finishing there was the familiar sound of a pair of feet.

Tom pulled aside a chair for her, and Rani seated herself.

Harry set down three cups, one smaller than the other two. Using a quick spell he turned the too hot drinks into warm, immediately drinkable ones, then from the large plate of breakfast items he carefully moved to Rani’s plate the food he had learned she liked through observation and her telling him. 

“At least you can make chai tea.” Tom commented after a sip, his plate noticeably clear of the many fried tomatoes it once held, only some juice remaining. “It’s better than what the shops sell too…”

 _Chai tea._ Harry could not hide the reaction, the tilt of his head. He was not going to let Tom off easy. 

“Yup,” Harry said, “At least I can make _tea tea_.”

“Tea tea?” Rani echoed, her tone curious.

“Tea tea?” Tom also repeated, but warily. 

“ _Chai_ means tea in Hindi,” Harry said, addressing Tom, “So saying Chai tea is repetitive. You might as well be saying tea tea…that’s what it sounds like to me.” 

Rani giggled and it’s not hard to notice Tom’s cheeks going pink. 

Harry knew Tom didn’t like being embarrassed but he didn’t like it either and Tom’s words had gotten to him. It wasn’t mature of him but he was responding in kind. 

“I like this tea tea.” Rani said, after the sipping her cup. 

“Your chai is good,” Tom repeated, dropping the redundant “tea”, but it was too late. 

“Chai tea isn’t the only thing I know how to make,” Harry said, “I can make naan bread too.”

“But naan means bread?” Rani questioned. 

“Yes.” Harry answered. 

“Bread bread.” Rani said, smiling mischievously. She started eating her eggs and toast, completely missing the stare Tom gives Harry. 

For the rest of the day, Rani repeated the names of various foods. Harry knew that Tom was annoyed by Harry encouraging her, but Tom also couldn’t and didn’t stop her because she found amusement in the simple joy of the repetitions.

For lunch, Harry showed off the Indian food he could cook, thus Rani said “chutney sauce” as “sauce sauce” and “pilaf rice” as “rice rice”. When Tom tells Harry “the pilaf you made is tasty”, Harry replies with “I’m glad you like my _rice rice_.” 

At some point she realized she didn’t have to be limited to food and Harry recognized it too. That’s how they end up walking through the house, with Rani pointing something out and Harry responding by naming the object in Hindi and English. Rani would repeat the phrase while Harry confirmed correct pronunciations by saying the English word twice. A typical exchange sounded like the following: “mez table” “mez table” “table table”. There was also kursi chair (chair chair), jhaadu broom (broom broom), and deepak lamp (lamp lamp).

She was tried and sleepy by after her walkabout and fell asleep without a bed time story from either or both Tom and Harry. Harry remembered too the first time he had told one and Tom had questioned Harry later, why were there water-controlling naga _and_ fire-breathing dragons in his story? Harry’s answer had been he had heard about both and so they were both present.

**Author's Note:**

> I think this will be 3 or 4 chapters long.


End file.
